On Wednesday, 11 June 2025, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, met with the Minister of National Defence of Greece, Nikolaos Dendias, in Athens.
Archbishop Makarios was warmly welcomed by Mr. Dendias at the Ministerial Office, where they discussed issues of mutual interest in a cordial atmosphere.
The Minister emphasised the strong bonds of friendship that connect Greece and Australia, and the decisive contribution of the Greek Diaspora of the fifth continent in this direction. Furthermore, he expressed interest in being informed about the life of the Greek Community and the challenges it faces, while he warmly congratulated Archbishop Makarios and the Orthodox Church in Australia for the valuable pastoral, social and national work they are carrying out in the Antipodes.
For his part, Archbishop Makarios presented to Mr. Dendias the multifaceted effort made by the Holy Archdiocese of Australia to preserve the Greek language and Greek Orthodox traditions, and to strengthen the ties of the new generation of the Greek Diaspora with its roots. He also conveyed to the Minister the love, respect and feelings of pride of the Greeks of Australia for the personnel of the Armed Forces of their beloved homeland, the men and women who, with a high sense of responsibility and unwavering faith in the values of the Nation, are vigilant in ensuring the integrity and independence of Greece.
